Executive Summary
Author | Maillard, Robin; Zalc, Julien |
Pages | 9-12 |
9
In September/October 2020, the third time this year
since March and June, the European Parliament com-
missioned a survey asking European citizens their
views on the Coronavirus crisis and their attitudes to-
wards the European Union.
After an amelioration in June, public opinion in sev-
eral areas is now closer again to the results measured
in March/April, including the emotional status of
respondents and the perception of solidarity, or lack
thereof, between Member States. However, the over-
all image of the EU has continuously gained ground
since the rst survey completed at the inception of the
health crisis. Four major areas have been at the fous of
this third survey:
(I) The personal and nancial situation of citizens
‘Uncertainty’ remains the most common emotional
status felt by European citizens (mentioned by 50% of
respondents), followed by ‘hope’ (37%). This is a neg-
ative development since the June 2020 survey, with
more people expressing ‘uncertainty’, ‘helplessness’,
‘fear’, ‘anger’ or ‘frustration’. Also, the economic impact
of the pandemic is becoming increasingly felt: more
than a third of respondents (39%) say that the COVID-19
pandemic has already impacted their personal income.
And for the rst time, more respondents now say that
economic damage caused by restrictions outweigh the
health benets which these measures aim to achieve.
(II) The European Union in times of COVID-19
Attitudes towards the EU have become more positive
in comparison with the rst survey in April/March 2020.
The image of the EU is improving steadily from 31%
to 41%. However, a majority of respondents remain
dissatised with the solidarity, or lack thereof, between
EU Member States. In accordance with earlier surveys
this year, two-thirds of respondents (66%) continue to
agree that the EU should have, “more competences to
deal with crises such as the Coronavirus pandemic”.
(III) Spending priorities
The majority of respondents (54%) think that the EU
should have greater nancial means to tackle the
consequences of the pandemic. However, it is of the
utmost importance to EU citizens that funds only go
to Members States with a functioning judicial system:
around three-quarters of respondents (77%) agree that
the EU should only provide funds to Member States
conditional upon their government’s implementation
of the rule of law and democratic principles.
Public health should be a spending priority, followed
by economic recovery and new opportunities for
businesses (42%), climate change and environmental
protection (37%) as well as employment and social
aairs (35%).
(IV) Attitudes towards government responses at a
national level
Around half of the respondents (49%) say they are sat-
ised with the measures their government has taken so
far against the Coronavirus pandemic, while a similar
proportion (48%) are not satised. Attitudes have be-
come more negative since the last wave of the survey,
with a fall in satisfaction with government measures.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
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